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Following a planning apeal the UNITE Group have been granted permission to build out a £30 million scheme on the site of the Homebase DIY store in St Leonard’s Street in Edinburgh

The Scottish Government and its planning reporter John Martin admitted to having “some sympathy” for campaigners who have valiantly fought the plans. City guidelines state neighbourhoods should not have more than 30 per cent of properties occupied by students, but that number already stands at 55 per cent.

Mr Martin sumerised that "On balance, therefore, I accept that while the proposed scheme would result in a greater concentration of student accommodation in the locality, it would be in an area close to the university where student accommodation is already at a high level, it would be a self contained scheme unrelated to the existing tenement stock and would not result in any further loss of family housing"

Jagdeep Boghal, the Design & Planning Director for the UNITE Group insisted the development would relieve the “burden” students put on the local housing market.

As a long-term investor in Edinburgh the UNITE Group believes the new scheme be of real benefit to the local community.